This invention relates generally to a padded liner to be placed between an infant and a seat, primarily a safety seat in a vehicle in which an infant is seated and restrained for normal transport. The invention more particularly pertains to the shape and interconnection of parts of a child's seat liner whereby comfort and support of the child is greatly improved at any stage of development of the child when the child is age-compatible with the use of the supporting seat.
In recent years it has come to be recognized that transporting a child in a moving vehicle without restraint is extremely dangerous because of the inherent forces of acceleration when the moving vehicle suddenly slows or is abruptly stopped in a collision. Typical protective devices, such as lap or shoulder belts used by adults are unacceptable methods of restraint for infants in such circumstances because of the general lack of lateral body support and because no provision is made for cushioning or absorbing the energy of movement of the infant's head, which, particularly in the early years, has the greatest mass of any body part and is particularly susceptible to the forces of quick turns or rapid vehicle speed changes. Moreover, when traveling long distances, the discomfort of a small child is significantly increased when it is restrained on a car seat designed for the support and comfort of an adult.
Various manufacturers have introduced safety seats or chairs for infants and small children consistent with Federal safety standards. Although differing in exact configuration, such seats generally include a one-piece shell-like rigid molded seat secured to a frame formed from metal tubing sections. The frame is adaptively shaped to conform to the surface of the back and seat in an automobile whereby the typical adult lap belt may be utilized to secure the frame in the installed position. The entire assembly is usually adapted for selective reversal whereby a child seated therein can be disposed to face forward or backward in the automobile. It is the obvious intention that such assemblies be positioned to face rearwardly when used for a small infant to provide full spinal and head cushioning in the event of rapid slowing or abrupt stops of the automobile. For an older child, the assembly can be used in the forward-facing position, and a padded crossbar is normally provided which can be selectively placed in a position forward of the child to cushion the head if the child is thrown violently forward against the body-restraining belts included in the assembly.
While the chair or seat portion of such assemblies are often thinly lined or padded, the fact that the seat must be of appropriate size to receive, for example, a child of two years of age, creates a problem for the comfortable seating and support of a relatively young, small infant who occupies only a fraction of the total available seating area. It is customary for an attending adult to wedge small cushions or folded blankets on either side of the child to provide additional body and head support. A particularly difficult situation develops when an infant falls asleep in the seat while traveling and its head falls to either side without adequate cushioning or support while its body is held substantially erect against the seat back due to the fastened belt portions which hold the body in position.